挥 (huī) — to wave, to brandish; to command, to conduct
Definition
Literary verb 'to wave, brandish' (usually a hand or weapon); 指挥 is the everyday word for 'command/direct', while 挥手 is the common gesture phrase. Compare 抡 (forceful swing, e.g. an arm or object).
verb
to waveto brandishto commandto conduct
Easily confused
Examples
- 。Tā xiàng wǒ huī shǒu gào bié.He waved his hand to say goodbye to me.
- 。Tā huī shǒu shì yì wǒ men guò lái.He waved his hand to signal us to come over.
- 。Tā huī shǒu zhǐ huī duì wu.He waved his hand to direct the team.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 揮; 挥 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
軍
軍jūn揮huī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 揮 pairs 扌 (hand) with 軍 as a sound part; the simplified 挥 is a shorthand, so its right side is not the historical component.
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